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Fire Damages Fire Alarm Panel

January 21, 2011

A fire inside an electrical equipment room at 20 S. Park St. this afternoon caused extensive damage to the building's fire alarm control panel. Engine 4 was sent at 3:10 PM to investigate a fire alarm sounding in the building. While checking the building, they discovered a fire inside a small room on the basement level of the parking ramp. The call was upgraded to a structure fire response and the fire was quickly extinguished.

Fire crews remained on the scene for several hours ventilating smoke and gasoline vapors from the building. No injuries were reported at the fire scene.

The fire caused heat and smoke damage in the electrical room and took the fire alarm system out of service. A fire watch will be maintained in the building until the alarm system is fully functional. Damage estimates are still being tabulated.

The fire investigator is looking at a motorized cart in the electrical room as the possible cause of the fire. A leaking fuel tank on the cart was the source of the gasoline vapors in the building.

Firefighters remind businesses and employees of these safety tips:

• Be familiar with your building's emergency plans.
• Know at least two ways out of your work area.
• Participate in fire drills conducted at your building.
• When the fire alarm sounds, get out and stay out.
• Once you are outside, call 9-1-1 from a safe place.
• Never go back inside the building until the fire department deems it is safe.
• Please visit www.madisonfire.org for more safety information.